Electrical connector having conductor spreading means

Abstract

Multi-contact electrical connector comprises two housing parts which can be telescopically assembled to each other. Means are provided on at least one of the housing parts to spread or otherwise reposition the conductors on the end of a cable, which has been positioned between opposed surfaces of the two housing parts, when the housing parts are assembled to each other so that after assembly, the conductors will be precisely located adjacent to the mating face of the assembled housing. Electrical contact means are provided adjacent to the mating end of the connector face which electrically contacts the conductors and permits them to be connected to further conductors on a printed circuit board or in a complementary connector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-contact electrical connector which is intended to be installed on an end portion of a multi-conductor cable, said connector comprising: first and second electrical connector housing parts of insulating material,   said first housing part being generally prismatic and having a mating zone and a cable-receiving end, a cable-receiving surface extending across said first part from said cable-receiving end to said mating zone,   a plurality of conductor spreading recesses extending across said cable-receiving surface from said cable-receiving end to said mating zone, said recesses being in side-by-side parallel relationship at said cable-receiving end and extending along pedetermined paths from said cable-receiving end whereby upon locating said cable on said surface at said cable-receiving end with the conductors of said cable in said recesses and progressively pressing said conductors into said recesses, said conductors will be precisely located in said recesses on said surface in said mating zone,   said second housing part being assemblable to said first housing part and having a cable-engaging surface which is against said cable-receiving surface when said second housing part is assembled to said first housing part,   said first and second housing parts having cooperable guide means thereon for guiding said parts into assembled relationship by guiding said second part over said cable-receiving surface of said first part from said cable-receiving end to said mating zone of said first part whereby upon locating said cable on said cable-receiving surface and assembling said second part to said first part, said conductors are pressed into said recesses during assembly of said second part to said first part and will be precisely located in said mating zone, and   electrical contacting means for establishing electrical contact with said conductors in said mating zone.   
     
     
       2. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, said predetermined paths deviating from parallelism on said cable receiving surface. 
     
     
       3. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 2, said predetermined paths extending divergently on said surface from said cable receiving end whereby said conductors are spread apart on said surface. 
     
     
       4. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 at least some of said pedetermined paths deviating laterally in said mating zone so that portions of each of said conductors in said mating zone are precisely located at predetermined contact locations in said mating zone, said electrical contacting means having contact terminal means thereon which are located at complementary locations whereby said contacting means engage said conductors at said predetermined locations. 
     
     
       5. A connector as set forth in claim 1, said first housing part having a mating end, said mating zone being at said mating end. 
     
     
       6. A connector as set forth in claim 5, said second connector part having a leading end and a trailing end, said cable-engaging surface extending between said leading end and said trailing end, said cooperable guide means comprising interengaging means on said first and second parts, said interengaging means being effective to locate said leading end of said second part against said cable-receiving surface of said first part at said cable-receiving end and guide said leading end over said cable-receiving surface while maintaining said leading end of said second part against said cable-receiving surface of said first part until said parts are assembled to each other with said cable between said cable-receiving surface and said cable engaging surface and with said conductors in said recesses. 
     
     
       7. A connector as set forth in claim 6, said interengaging means comprising side edge portions of one of said housing parts and channel-like means on the other one of said housing parts, said channel-like means being dimensioned to receive said side edge portions. 
     
     
       8. A connector as set forth in claim 7, said channel-like means being on said first housing part and extending along the side edge portions of said cable-receiving surface. 
     
     
       9. A connector as set forth in claim 5, said first and second parts having terminal receiving openings extending therethrough transversely of said cable supporting surface and said cable engaging surface, said openings being in alignment when said parts are assembled, said openings being proximate to said mating end of said first part and intersecting said conductor spreading recesses, said contacting means comprising contact terminals dimensioned to be received in said openings whereby, upon installing said first and second parts on said cable and inserting said contact terminals into said openings, said contact terminals will electrically contact said conductors. 
     
     
       10. A connector as set forth in claim 9, said contact terminals being dimensioned to extend externally of said housing parts after insertion into said openings to permit establishment of electrical contact with further conductors. 
     
     
       11. A connector as set forth in claim 5, said connector having a third housing part, said third housing part being assemblable to said first and second housing parts at said mating end of said first housing part, said electrical contacting means comprising contact terminal means in said third housing part, said contact terminal means being brought into engagement with said conductors when said third housing part is assembled to said first and second housing parts. 
     
     
       12. A connector as set forth in claim 11, said first and second housing parts having openings extending therethrough normally of said cable-receiving and cable engaging surfaces, said openings being aligned when said first and second parts are assembled to each other, said opening being proximate to said mating end and intersecting said conductor-receiving recesses, said contact terminal means being in said openings when said third housing part is assembled to said first and second housing parts and being in electrical contact with said conductors. 
     
     
       13. A multi-contact electrical connector means which is intended to be installed on a multi-conductor cable of the type comprising a plurality of side-by-side individual conductors embedded in an insulating web, and positioned on predetermined centerlines, said connector means comprising: a first relatively rigid housing member having a cable-receiving end and a cable-receiving surface extending from said cable-receiving end,   a plurality of elongated recesses in said cable-receiving surface extending from the vicinity of said cable-receiving end to contact points arranged in a mating zone spaced from said cable-receiving end,   a relatively flexible cover member attached to said housing member and extending from said cable-receiving end, said cover member having a free end spaced from said cable-receiving end,   a relatively rigid slider member attached to said free end of said cover member, the length of said slider member being at least equal to the width of said mating zone, and   an opening in said flexible cover member adjacent to said cable-receiving end, whereby upon removing at least a portion of said insulating web to separate the conductor end portions, said cable can be inserted through said opening with said conductor end portions lying on said cable-receiving surface, and said slider member can be drawn across said cable receiving surface into an assembled configuration to progressively press said conductor end portions into said elongated recesses thereby aligning said conductors with said contact points.   
     
     
       14. A multi-contact electrical connector means as set forth in claim 13 additionally comprising terminal means for establishing electrical contact with said conductors at said contact points. 
     
     
       15. A multi-contact electrical connector means as set forth in claim 14 comprising a plurality of holes in said flexible cover member adjacent to said slider member, said holes being in alignment with said contact points when said connector means is in said assembled configuration. 
     
     
       16. A multi-contact electrical connector means as set forth in claim 13 additionally comprising guide means extending upwardly from opposite edges of said conductor receiving surface between said cable-receiving end and said mating zone, said guide means engaging said slider member upon movement of said slider member across said cable-receiving surface. 
     
     
       17. A multi-contact electrical connector means as set forth in claim 13 said flexible cover member having a relatively rigid strain relief member adjacent to said opening, said cable being trapped between said strain relief member and said cable receiving surface when said connector means in in said assembled configuration. 
     
     
       18. A multi-contact electrical connector means as set forth in claim 13 wherein said flexible cover member comprises a dielectric film, bonded to said first relatively rigid housing member, said first relatively rigid housing member also comprising a dielectric member. 
     
     
       19. An electrical connector means for use in connecting a multi-conductor cable of the type comprising a plurality of conductors arranged in parallel relationship on a first centerline spacing and embedded in a continuous sheet of insulating material, to a plurality of upstanding electrical contact posts arranged in a row on a second centerline spacing, said second centerline spacing being greater than said first centerline spacing, said electrical connector means comprising: template means for deploying said individual conductors, after segmenting said cable to separate said conductors adjacent one end of said cable, from said first centerline spacing to said second centerline spacing, said template means comprising.   a housing member having a surface for receiving said conductors   a plurality of elongate recesses on said surface, said recesses extending from a first position to a second position on said surface, said recesses being located on said first centerline spacing at said first position and on said second centerline spacing at said second position, said recesses each being adapted to receive only one of said conductors initiallly at said first position at a point intermediate the ends of said one conductor, each recess being adapted to receive the additional increments of said conductor upon simultaneous progressive pressing of said conductors into said recesses,   electrical contact means for establishing contact with said conductors on said second centerline spacing at said second point and with said contact posts.   
     
     
       20. An electrical connector means for use in connecting a multi-conductor cable, comprising a plurality of conductors embedded in a common insulating web, selected conductors being located on a first centerline spacing, to an array of electric circuit elements located on a second centerline spacing, said connector comprising: template means for deploying said individual conductors, after segmenting said cable to separate said conductors adjacent one end of said cable, from said first centerline spacing to said second centerline spacing, said template means comprising, a first housing member having a surface for receiving said conductors,   a plurality of elongate recesses on said surface, said recesses extending from a first position to a second position on said surface, said recesses being located on said first centerline spacing at said first position and on said second centerline spacing at said second position, said recesses each being adapted to progressively receive at least one of said conductors upon progressively pressing said conductors into said recesses,     a second housing member mateable with said first housing member, and   a plurality of electrical contact terminals mounted on said second housing member, each of said terminals comprising, terminating means for establishing electrical contact with said conductors at said second position,   contact means for establishing electrical contact with one of said electric circuit elements.     
     
     
       21. An electrical connector means as set forth in claim 20 wherein said template means further comprises first means for aligning said conductors in said cable adjacent said first side. 
     
     
       22. An electrical connector means as set forth in claim 21 wherein said first means comprises a rectangular indentation adjacent said first side for receiving said cable, said recesses merging with said indentation. 
     
     
       23. An electrical connector means as set forth in claim 20 wherein said terminating means comprises an upstanding element for establishing electrical contact with a conductor upon relative motion transverse of the axis of said conductor. 
     
     
       24. An electrical connector means as set forth in claim 23 wherein said first housing member further comprises second means comprising an opening aligned with each said recess for receipt of said upstanding element and support means in alignment with said conductor. 
     
     
       25. An electrical connector means as set forth in claim 24 wherein said upstanding element comprises a plate-like member with a slot extending from one end thereof, said plate-like member moving transverse of the axis of said conductor to establish contact therewith when said first and second housing members are mated. 
     
     
       26. An electrical connector means as set forth in claim 25 wherein said first housing member comprises an insulating member. 
     
     
       27. An electrical connector means as set forth in claim 26 wherein said surface on said first housing member is generally flat with said recesses extending inwardly from said flat surfaces, each of said recesses being dimensioned to form an interference fit with one of said conductors. 
     
     
       28. A method of establishing electrical contact between the individual conductors located on a first centerline spacing in a flat multi-conductor electrical cable of the type having a common insulating web and a plurality of electric circuit elements located on a second centerline spacing, said method comprising the steps of: stripping the insulation from the free ends of said conductors adjacent one end of said cable,   deploying said free conductors from said first centerline spacing to said second centerline spacing by progressively pressing said conductors into recesses on a conductor receiving template,   establishing electrical contact with said conductors by mounting a plurality of electrical contact terminals on said template, said contact terminals being positioned on said second centerline spacing, said electrical contact being established upon relative movement, laterally of the axis of said conductors, between said conductors and said terminals.